The present invention relates generally to air travel information dissemination, and more particularly, to a system and method for selecting, compiling, retrieving, and displaying air travel information and related computer data.
In the aviation service industry, planning and executing a flight can involve multiple vendors, each having information and facilities for successful completion of the journey. For a dispatcher, the entire process is a complex one, particularly when providing full corporate jet service. Receiving a client""s request for a flight, scheduling and controlling the flight, and arranging a wide variety of ground services from multiple vendors such as fueling, ground transportation, and security, are involved in providing full service to the client. Real time variables often require changes in scheduled service, and those changes need to be quickly communicated to the client and vendors. For example, when an aircraft encounters unexpected adverse weather, the aircraft may need to land at a different airport creating a need for different ground transportation or security arrangements. Conversely, an event on the ground may require changes to the flight plan of the aircraft.
Various software packages are commercially available in the market relating to flight information systems, but available systems are limited to certain phases and are relatively static. For example, some scheduling software allows an itinerary of a client to be entered before the flight takes off, and other information to be entered into a database after the flight is completed. These packages provide for information storage and retrieval, but do not provide dynamic real time operational information.
What is needed is a dynamic, integrated flight information system that makes available to dispatchers real-time information pertaining to a flight so that they can make adjustments and communicate them to vendors and clients on a real-time, as needed basis.
A system and method for providing and managing integrated real-time flight information for dispatchers, vendors and clients is provided. With the help of a computer, a dispatcher or other user of a flight operations system (FOS) can have direct access to trip details as they happen in real-time. Information about airport, computerized flight plans, aircraft location customized weather maps, historical data, billing information and the like, are all available at the fingertip of the user of the system. A dispatcher or other user can access needed information pertaining to one or more scheduled or in progress or completed flights for which they are responsible, at any time, in any place, by using a dial-up connection service or an Internet connection. Historical information is similarly made available for reference in making changes in a preplanned trip, as needed. Once an access connection is made, the user can observe various trip details being updated periodically, or on request, online. In addition, critical information is available through the access connection about the status of all flight related factors such as customs, permits, catering, ground transportation, slots, and flight plans, at close to animation speeds.
The FOS includes a Data Engine (DE) and a Render Engine (RE). A computerized Upstream Distribution Center (UDC) containing a Packet Manager (PM) is connected to the FOS. Both the RE and DE are further connected to one or more user interfaces generated by application software on a computer display. The UDC can make connections to multiple user interfaces through computer networks to propagate information. The UDC distributes information by way of packet based networks. Object-relational mapping, object caching and proactive notification or xe2x80x9cpushxe2x80x9d technology is used for constantly updating the information disseminated from the UDC to the user interfaces. In order to present real time updates to multiple remote user interface displays, the FOS brings software codes in SQL code format directly into an object based database engine in the memory of a front end computer, such as one used by a client in a remote location, and builds the DE as well as other software scripts that are necessary to interact with other components of the FOS. This architecture of storing object modules in memory of a front end user/client computer instead of on a computer server disk speeds up the retrieval of the information, and makes it possible for the RE to produce instant animated graphical representations of the information.
Further, the FOS produces a series of user friendly interactive screens to extract specific user selected information for planned, in progress and completed trips involving air travel, bringing together for user access trip identification information and tasks and environmental factors related to accomplishing the trip.